The UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said the funds will be disbursed by the Somalia Human Fund (SHF).

SHF, is a multi-donor country-based pooled fund established in 2010 to support the timely allocation and disbursement of donor resources to address the most urgent humanitarian needs.

Peter de Clercq, the Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia, said the critical funds, part of the SHF Second 2017 Standard Allocation, will support 30 famine prevention projects in some of the worst-affected areas across Somalia.

“These SHF funds will allow humanitarian partners to continue their enhanced famine prevention response from Jan. 1, 2018,” de Clercq said in a statement issued in Mogadishu.

He said almost two-thirds of funds are geared towards the integrated multi-sectorial response, providing food, clean water and life-saving health, nutrition and sanitation and hygiene services in areas where needs are the greatest.

De Clercq said the amount is only a small fraction of what will be required to sustain famine prevention efforts in 2018.

“Donors are urged to provide funding for the 2018 Humanitarian Response Plan, which was part of the global launch on Dec. 1,” he said.